Chestermere, October 6 – 12 is National Fire Prevention Week in Canada!
The Chestermere Fire Department is proud to join the celebrations and promote the theme for 2024 – Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work for you! This year’s theme is all about smoke alarms and how we can ensure their being used properly.
Fire alarms can be a critical tool in fire detection, especially considering the rate at which a fire can grow. Statics show that a working smoke alarm can reduce the risk of dying or getting injured in a home fire by up to 50%. With this in mind, there are some simple actions you can take to make sure your smoke alarms are an effective first line of defense:
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of your home, including the basement.
- Test all smoke alarms regularly, including 10-year lithium-ion battery-powered alarms. You can do this by pushing the “test” button on the alarm. Be sure to install new batteries at least once a year.
- Replace smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or don’t respond when tested.
Smoke alarms should meet the needs of everyone in your home, including those with disabilities. Consider alarms with strobe lights or assistive alert features like low-frequency sounds or bed shakers where appropriate.
Remember, if your smoke alarm sounds, get out of your house as quickly as possible, close the doors behind you, and call 911!
Visit our Open House!
As part of Fire Prevention Week, you’re invited to join members of the Chestermere Fire Department at the Chestermere Fire Hall for a family-friendly open house at the following dates and times:
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- October 9th: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Chestermere Fire Hall (156 E Chestermere Dr, Chestermere)
- October 10th: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Chestermere Fire Hall (156 E Chestermere Dr, Chestermere)
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About Fire Prevention Week
Fire Prevention Week is held by Fire Departments across North America in collaboration with the National Fire Protection Agency. Since 1922, the NFPA has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country. During Fire Prevention Week, children, adults, and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire. Firefighters provide lifesaving public education in an effort to drastically decrease casualties caused by fires.
Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage. This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.
Learn more about Fire Prevention Week at https://www.nfpa.org/events/fire-prevention-week